In the Dark of the Night
by Rich Hobo
Summary: When Harry and Draco suddenly collapse in class one day, what's the connection? HPDM Creature!Fic
1. The Collapse

AN: Hello! First I'd like to start of saying that I do not own Harry Potter or anything within it. I simply own the plot line, though no doubt it's been used before. I'm just hoping mine's a bit fresh and different. And if it's not, I hope you enjoy it all the same!

Second, I'd like to state that this disregards HBP. It doesn't fit in with the story line, so I just nixed it rather than trying to work with it.

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**Chapter One: The Collapse**

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"Ron! Harry! Come _on _we're going to be late!" Hermione told her best friends. She quickly walked backwards so that she could still give them a glare, but not prolong the class any longer. Harry and Ron sighed in unison.

"Why?" Harry asked tiredly. Potions was _not_ his favorite subject. Mainly that had to do with a certain greasy haired professor.

"Because it's Potions and if we're late we'll get even more points docked! Plus it's our first day back!" Hermione said impatiently.

"It's not as if he won't dock any points anyway," Ron said. He figured, they were going to get points docked anyway, so what was a few more?

"Please Ron? For me?" Hermione pouted and slowed her pace so that she and Ron were closer. It actually worked for her. If she had done it the previous school year she would have looked quite ridiculous. But it seems she had been a late in blossoming, for if she had done it last year, her large teeth would have protruded forward giving her a very beaver-ish appearance.

But that was not the case now. When Hermione returned for 6th year, she was quite beautiful. Before her teeth had been large and had braces on them. She had gotten her braces off, and had fixed the size with magic ("Mom and dad were furious, since they were both dentists, but they did admit they looked better!"). Her frizzy brown hair had been lightened by the sun, and was now a dark blonde. It had also relaxed a bit, into relaxing curls that stopped just above her waistline (which you couldn't tell, but had also gotten smaller and harder due to running and doing crunches). While her breasts had previously been nearly nonexistent they were now a full B or small C which fit her figure perfectly.

Ron was still tall and lanky, but had filled out a bit. He had been practicing for keeper all summer with Ginny and his brothers and had gained a fair bit of muscle.

Summer was clearly the best for Harry. He had shot up a startling 5 inches and now stood at a respectable 5'11". While before his hair was simply wild, it now had that "just been shagged" looked about it. He no longer had glasses, which completely surprised everyone, including himself. He had woken up the morning of his birthday and could suddenly see clearing without his glasses. Hiss stunning green eyes had, if possible, gotten even greener. His body was lean, with muscles from Quidditch training and working all summer. He had also gotten a tan from all of his work.

Ron sighed. "Alright," he said, and quickened his pace. Not wanting to be left behind, Harry quickened his too.

Hermione thanked him happily and pecked him on the cheek. Ron blushed and turned his head away. Harry just rolled his eyes. The two were not officially together, but did everything together normal couples do, save the dates and snogging.

The trio entered the classroom right before the bell rang. They looked around for seats together, but they couldn't spot any.

"Well? Take a seat!" They heard their professor, Severus Snape bark. The three jumped, for they had not seen him enter behind them. They stood there for a moment. "Now!" the professor yelled impatiently.

They quickly scuttled to the closest available seats. Hermione sat next to Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil, while Ron sat next to Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan. This left Harry. He sighed as he sat down next to Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini.

Draco sneered at him while Blaise smirked. "Welcome to the Snake Pit Potter," Blaise whispered. Harry sighed once again and slammed his head down on the desk.

"Potter! Pay attention!" Severus demanded. Harry raised his head lazily, suddenly coming down with a bad headache. He groaned and grabbed his head to keep it up and facing the board. The two Slytherins beside him snickered quietly and smirked at each other.

Harry sneered at them and tried to keep his focus on what his professor was talking about. Something about a lamb's gallbladder carrying some sort of liquid needed for some potion. Harry found it impossible to pay attention, as his headache was slowly increasing from a big one to a giant one. Harry's hand was suddenly smacked out from under his head. His head came crashing down onto the desk. Suddenly a searing pain ripped through his mouth.

"Bloody hell!" Harry cried. He had bitten his tongue and it was now bleeding profusely. Blaise and Draco laughed quietly.

"20 points from Gryffindor! No foul language!" Severus said angrily, clearly upset that his lesson had been interrupted. Hermione and Ron both turned to look at him questioningly.

"Sorry sir," Harry replied. He wasn't_ really_ sorry. Severus nodded and turned to face the board once again. Harry turned to Ron and Hermione and mouthed, 'Tell you later!' to them. They nodded and resumed focus on the board. He then stuck his tongue out and attempted to look at it.

"Bloody hell!" Blaise shouted. Harry, Draco, and the rest of the class turned to look at him.

"Mr. Zabini!" Severus whipped around to glare at his pupil.

"Sorry sir!" Blaise yelped. His eyes were wide. Severus nodded in an annoyed way and once again returned to facing the board, as did the class.

"What was that about?" Draco asked his friend once all eyes were off them.

Blaise ignored him. "Potter!" Blaise whispered.

"What?" Harry snapped. He was irritated. His head was throbbing in beat with his tongue in pain.

"Are you quite aware that you have fangs?" Blaise whispered urgently. Draco scowled at his friend for ignoring him before turning to look at Harry.

"What are you talking about?" Harry asked, clearly confused and annoyed. Blaise simply opened his own mouth and felt at his canines.

Harry rolled his eyes and mimicked the motion. His eyes widened when he felt a sharp point on his finger. He pressed a little harder and tasted blood once again.

"Ow!" Harry whispered loudly, waving his finger around. Draco's mouth opened in shock. Harry Potter had fangs! Why? He had no idea. But the fact that his worst enemy had fangs made him a bit wary. He ran a hand through his fine locks.

Summer had been kind to Draco as well. He had grown to be 6'1", a couple of inches shorter than his father, who stood tall at 6'4". Quidditch training over the summer had made him leaner than he previously was and was quite muscular, but not overly so.

His hair had grown out a bit to a little above his shoulders. Instead of slicking it back he had opted to pull it into a tight ponytail. It had also gotten lighter. Well maybe not lighter, but it certainly seemed to shine and give off a more golden appearance. A few strands were loose, framing his face, which had matured as well.

Before his features had been pointy for his boyish face. But they now had a dignified masculinity to them, making him look even more high class. His skin was still pale, but now had a slight glow to it, making him look almost like an angel. His piercing gray eyes now shown brightly with curiosity at his enemy's new discovery.

"Well, well, well…." Draco said quietly, mostly to himself.

Harry was now looking at his hands in amazement. He drew his left hand up close to his face and inspected the tiny mark on his finger wear his fangs had punctured the skin.

Draco suddenly gasped and grabbed his head. The pain! He felt like his head was splitting open. He bent down, his head in between his legs, hoping it would stop the pain.

Blaise quickly rounded on his friend. "Draco! What's wrong?" he whispered to his friend in concern. When his friend didn't respond, he put a hand on his back. "Drac?" he asked again.

Out of the corner of his eye Blaise saw Harry clutch his head as well. He turned to look at him and saw he looked to be in excruciating pain. Blaise looked worriedly between his friend and enemy.

"Professor!" Blaise spoke up in a shaky voice.

"What _is_ it, Zabini?" Severus asked with a note of irritation in his voice. He turned around and saw that Harry and Draco were both clutching their heads and gasping in pain. Harry leaned back while Draco was bent over.

Snape briskly walked over to his students.

"Mr. Malfoy! Potter!" He said loudly. He was more worried about Draco, but Potter was his student too, and he couldn't have a student die in his class.

"Sev!" Draco gasped. He sounded horrible.

"What is it Mr. Malfoy?" Severus asked quietly, so as to not make the headache worse.

"It hurts, Sev. It hurts so bad," Draco moaned.

By now all eyes were on them. Hermione and Ron had rushed over to Harry and were asking him questions.

"Harry, what is it, is it your scar?" Ron quickly asked his friend, putting a hand on his back.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Hermione asked frantically. She put a hand on his forehead and quickly withdrew it. Her friend's forehead was scalding!

"Professor, Harry's burning up!" Hermione cried. Severus quickly forced Draco's head up. His face was flushed. He put a hand on the boy's face and felt that he was also burning up.

"Zabini, Weasely, hurry to the hospital wing! Get Madame Pomfrey down here as quickly as possible!" Severus ordered his students. The two boys quickly nodded and raced out of the room, eager to do what they could to help their friends.

The class was now in a circle around them, whispering lowly amongst themselves, wondering what was happening to their classmates.

Severus quickly cast a cooling charm on both of the students. It had no effect.

"Granger! Quickly start removing their robes!" the professor instructed Hermione. She nodded before beginning to remove Harry's school robe.

"And all of you! Class is dismissed! Get out! Now!" He added when the class stood there for a moment, staring at the boys. The students quickly scuttled out of the dungeon in fear of their professor's wrath.

Hermione was now working on removing Draco's shirt. Severus rushed to his office, grabbing a pan and two rags before turning around and walking back towards his heated students.

He tossed a rag at Hermione. She had successfully removed all the boys' clothing, except for their boxers, which she had kept on them. He quickly cleaned his own rag with a "Scourgify!" and Hermione did the same. He spelled some ice cold water into the pan before dipping his rag into the cool water and set it on Draco's forehead. Hermione followed suit and was whispering comforting words to Harry.

The water didn't work. If anything, the boys got warmer. Hermione sent an anxious look towards her elder. Where was Madame Pomfrey!

Severus was worried. The boys should have cooled down by now. He pressed more firmly on the cloth on Draco's forehead and water ran down the side of the blonde's head.

Suddenly, Harry cried out. He sat up quickly, grasping his head tighter.

"Harry!" Hermione cried. She now had tears running down her cheeks. Severus turned to look at his other student.

Harry promptly fell back to the ground. He groaned loudly. His vision was hazy. His head was throbbing. He felt as though his skull were being ripped into tiny pieces. He shut his eyes tightly, and then relaxed as the world around him slowly faded to black.

"Harry!" Hermione cried again. She collapsed and hugged her friend tightly.

Severus turned quickly his attention back towards Draco to see how he was holding up, and he noticed that he too had lost consciousness.

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Yay, chapter one done! What did you think? Keep in mind this was written at around 2:30 in the morning. Haha. But seriously. Tell me what you think by clicking that little 'Go' button!


	2. What?

AN: Yay to all my lovely reviewers! Thanks so much!

**Silver Tears 11**: Now if I told you that, what would be the fun in it? ; You'll find out soon.

**Crazysquirl**: Now now, if you shake my brain out, how would I be able to update?

**To all my other reviewers:** I'm so glad you're all enjoying it! I hope I don't disappoint you!

**Also, I'm sorry for not clarifying, but when Hermione had to undress Harry and Draco, she had to move them onto the floor. :**

Woo for speedy updates! Hopefully I'll be able to update this quickly in the future too! This all depends on you my darling readers! The more reviews I get, the more I'm inspired to continue!

Once again I'd like to state I do not own Harry Potter or anything in it. That privilege belongs to Miss J.K. Rowling.

Well now, read on and enjoy!

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**Chapter Two: What?**

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Hermione and Ron were sitting next to Harry's hospital bed with worried looks on their faces. Hermione had long ago grasped Harry's hand and had yet to let it go. Ron had his arm around her and was whispering things to her, such as, "It'll be okay 'Mione," and "Don't worry he'll be fine."

Draco also had visitors. Pansy was in a much similar state as Hermione. She was weeping on Blaise's shoulder, which was now thoroughly drenched. Blaise had a disgusted look on his face at Pansy, but was comforting her like Ron was Hermione.

Random Gryffindors and Slytherins had been popping in all day, and a few Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws for Harry, much to Madame Pomfrey's dismay. Finally she had simply shut the doors and told anyone who wished to come in that they should just turn around or they'd come down with a horrible case of Dragon Pox. She's tried to kick the boys' friends out, but they flat out refused to leave, no matter what she said, so she let them be.

"I swear, whatever Malfoy did to Harry, he will be _very_ sorry," Ron said to the Slytherins, his voice full of venom. Blaise shot him a glare before responding, seeing as how Pansy was too busy sobbing to have heard him.

"Like hell he will! It's obvious Potter did something to Draco! Look at him!" Blaise pointed to Draco, who was still very flushed. Harry too was flushed. But unlike Draco he seemed to be having a nightmare as well.

"What are you talking about? Harry looks loads worse!" Ron cried, gesturing to his unconscious friend.

"Please! Both of you just be quiet!" Pansy cried. Her friend was unconscious and she really did not want to be hearing senseless bickering going on around her. Hermione nodded.

"As much as it pains me to say this, Pansy's right. I know Harry didn't do anything, and I don't think Malfoy would do something that would affect him in a negative way too," Hermione reasoned, leaning against Ron. Both conscious boys grumbled, but halted their arguing.

Just then, Professor Dumbledore burst through the infirmary doors. Right behind him were Severus Snape and Minerva McGonagall. All three had their lips pursed and their faces were serious.

Madame Pomfrey looked as though she were about to scold them for disturbing her patients, but halted at the look on their faces. "Albus… What seems to be the problem?" the matron asked.

Dumbledore shook his head. "No problem Poppy. I've just come to check up on my students," he responded with a smile. The three professors walked over to Draco and Harry. "Now, what happened here?" Dumbledore asked. All the students looked at each other. Hermione, Ron, and Pansy turned to look at Blaise, who was closest to the boys when they collapsed.

Blaise looked at all of the professors before gulping. "Well, uh, Potter had a head ache. When he was sitting like this," Blaise mimicked Harry resting his head on his hand, "I kind of…" Blaise looked down at his feet guiltily. Dumbledore smiled.

"You kind of…?" Dumbledore urged.

"Iknockedhishandoutfromunderhim," Blaise said quickly. It was said fast, but all of the professors caught it. They gave him a dirty look (Severus's was sort of a smirk) before nodding at him to continue.

"Well he… Oh Merlin!" Blaise's eyes widened, suddenly remembering what had happened next. Everyone gave him confused looks, except for Dumbledore. "He bit his tongue. He has fangs!" Blaise finished, pointing at the dark haired boy lying unconscious.

"What? You're of your bloody rocker! Harry doesn't have fangs!" Ron shouted, standing up. Hermione coaxed him back down into his chair.

"Mr. Weasely! Language!" Minerva reprimanded. Ron blushed, before mumbling an apology.

"What Mr. Weasely means is, could you please explain what would make you say this?" Dumbledore said.

"Well he was sticking out his tongue and I saw them," Blaise explained.

"Poppy?" Dumbledore asked. The matron nodded and shuffled over to Harry. Everyone gathered around him as Madame Pomfrey lifted up his upper lip. Everyone except for Dumbledore, Severus, and Blaise gasped at the sight of the two sharp teeth. Madame Pomfrey lowered his lip and looked at Dumbledore, who had a calm look on his face.

"Could you please carry on?" Dumbledore asked Blaise. He nodded.

"Then Draco got a headache. A really bad one too by the way he was grabbing his head… Then I asked for Professor Snape and he sent Weasely and I to Madame Pomfrey," Blaise finished. He looked to his head of house.

"And then, Severus?" Dumbledore prompted the professor.

"The boys were very warm. I cast a cooling charm on them, but it had no effect. Since Granger was the most competent student I asked her to start removing their robes while I dismissed the class. I fetched some rags and water from my office. I don't know about Potter, but when I set the rag on Draco's face, he seemed to get even warmer. At that point Potter shot up and shouted before falling back to the floor. They both promptly passed out, which is when we rushed them here," Severus explained, looking at his blonde pupil.

Dumbledore nodded. "If you could please give us a moment?" he asked his students. They all nodded before moving to leave the room. "Not you Miss Granger," Dumbledore added. Hermione nodded, and gave the Headmaster a bewildered look. She sat back down in her chair and looked back up at the headmaster, who smiled at her.

"Don't worry, Miss Granger, you will soon find out why you are here," Dumbledore assured her. Hermione smiled at him gratefully.

Madame Pomfrey quickly cast a silencing charm around the beds that held the two unconscious students, so as to not disturb their sleep.

"Now. As you all know, Mr. Malfoy is a Veela," Dumbledore began. Hermione looked shocked, but knowing. "Surely you knew Miss Granger?" Dumbledore asked her.

"Well I had my suspicions, and they just increased when Malfoy came back looking like he did," Hermione said, putting the remaining pieces together.

"Your assumptions would be correct. Mr. Malfoy here is a Veela," Dumbledore said. Everyone in the room nodded for him to continue. "Well it seems Mr. Malfoy has found his mate, which is what lead to his collapse," Dumbledore explained. Hermione looked confused.

"No disrespect intended sir, but what does this have to do with Harry?" Hermione asked. As interested as she was, she wished to know what was wrong with him. Dumbledore smiled at her.

"Well it seems that Mr. Potter here has found his mate as well," Dumbledore smiled. Everyone in the room gasped.

"What do you mean, mate? Harry doesn't have a mate, he's human!" Hermione cried. She had never pictured her friend with any bit of creature blood in him.

"I think his fangs would prove otherwise," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling brightly. Hermione still looked confused.

"But if he was of creature blood, surely he would have gained these attributes on his 17th birthday? Malfoy too! Wouldn't he come into his inheritance on his birthday when he came of age as well?" Hermione asked, longing for an answer.

"It would seem that way, but Veela and Atrerres come into their inheritance on their 16th birthdays, and Atrerres only gain certain attributes when the mating process has begun," Dumbledore explained.

"Atrerres?" everyone in the room said. Hermione was the first to speak up.

"You must be joking Professor! The last known Atrerres was said to have been seen in 1487! They're extinct!" Hermione said. It was impossible!

"I assure you I am serious, Ms. Granger. If you do not believe me, perhaps you would like Madame Pomfrey to perform the necessary tests to prove it?" Dumbledore asked, knowing the answer would be no. As he predicted, Hermione shook her head.

"But professor, you said they had both found their mates," Minerva said.

"Indeed I did," Dumbledore said, preparing to answer.

"Well?" Severus asked. He was curious as to who his godson's mate was.

"Mr. Potter's mate is Mr. Malfoy and vice versa," Dumbledore told them all, his eyes twinkling brighter than before. The room exploded in an uproar.

"But Albus! Atrerres and Veela are known to be mortal enemies! How could this be?" Minerva cried. Chaos would surely ensue if they were indeed mates.

"I agree! This is completely unheard of! Never, in the entire history of the planet has there ever been this sort of match!" Severus reasoned.

"But tell me, are Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy ordinary?" Dumbledore questioned. Everyone present shook their heads. They all knew the students were anything but ordinary.

"Then is it really so hard to believe?" Dumbledore asked. Everyone nodded their heads.

"Yes! Harry and Malfoy simply could not change an ancient feud! With these recent discoveries it's no wonder that they've been fighting all these years! The creature within them recognized each other as mortal enemies!" Hermione said, thinking back on all the fights she had witnessed. The professors and Madame Pomfrey nodded.

"That is true. But tell me, as powerful as these two boys are, do you really think it likely that they would pick a weaker witch or wizard?" Dumbledore inquired. Hermione thought for a moment before sighing and shaking her head. He was right.

"Exactly. When finding a mate, Veela and Atrerres, and many other creatures for that matter, recognize power and deep compatibility. While they were previously enemies, obviously they recognized how truly right for each other they were. Even if their power levels were the same or close, they would not have chosen each other if it weren't for their compatibility," Dumbledore told them all. Silence consumed the room while each occupant thought. Finally, Hermione sighed.

"Well, I suppose if they're really meant for each other, I'll support it," Hermione spoke, mostly to herself. Once again the others nodded in agreement.

"That is wonderful to hear Miss Granger. Tough times are ahead for Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Potter, and all the support they can get will be needed," Dumbledore informed her. Hermione turned around to look at her friend, and her friend's mate. Their faces weren't as flushed and Harry's nightmare seemed to have stopped. She sighed again.

"I suppose I will go gather Mr. Weasely, Mr. Zabini, and Miss Parkinson if there are no more questions?" Dumbledore looked around the room patiently. Everyone shook their head. Dumbledore nodded and moved towards the door. Suddenly, Hermione piped up.

"Sir, wait! I read that both Atrerres and Veela can be dominant or submissive, though both lean towards dominant. Who will be what?" Hermione questioned.

"Only time will be able to tell Miss Granger," Dumbledore said wisely. Hermione frowned but nodded before speaking up again.

"Oh! And why is it you wanted me present?" Hermione asked, truly curious. Dumbledore smiled.

"I knew you would be curious and would have many more questions than those outside," He explained. Hermione didn't seem to understand, but nodded. Dumbledore once again moved towards the door and opened it, only to find the group of teenagers at his feet. They seemed to have been listening in. They all grinned sheepishly at him before disentangling themselves and standing up.

There was a moment of silence before the room one again exploded in questions, this time from the party that wasn't previously present.

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Woo! Another chapter done. For all those wondering atrer is Latin for dark, and res is Latin for being. So Atrerres Dark Being. : You'll find more out about Atrerres' history in the chapters to come.

You see that little 'Go' button under this? Click it: I'm dying to know what you all think!


	3. Questions, Questions and More Questions

AN: Grrr, I would've updated sooner but was giving me that stupid error every time I tried to log in D:

Wow! I got 15 reviews this time! I can't tell you all how happy that makes me.

To all of you that may be wondering, I'm using Atrerres and Veela like the word sheep. Sheep is singular and plural word. :)

Another thing, I'm calling Minerva and Severus by their first names because I think as the story progresses it would be awkward to still call them Snape and McGonagall, or to just randomly switch to their first names. And I'm calling Dumbledore by his last name because it would just be weird to call him Albus. xP

And as promised, you will learn a bit more about Atrerres this chapter!

Read on my lovelies.

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**Chapter Three: Questions, Questions andMore Questions**

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"Now, now, how can you possibly expect me to answer all of your questions if you're all speaking at once?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes doing their trademark twinkling.

"Sorry sir," the students mumbled. Dumbledore smiled at them.

"It isn't an issue. Why don't we all take a seat?" Dumbledore invited, conjuring 5 chairs: one for himself, Hermione, Ron, Blaise and Pansy. They all sat down quietly, their minds swimming with questions. Dumbledore then turned to Minerva and Severus.

"Minerva, Severus, if you would please go to the boys' dormitories and bring back a fresh set of clothing for them? We never know when they might be waking," Dumbledore requested. Minerva and Severus nodded, leaving the room. Dumbledore refocused his attention on his pupils.

"Am I correct in assuming that you all heard what was just spoken?" Dumbledore asked. They nodded.

"Alright, now if you would please ask your questions. One at a time," Dumbledore added as he noticed all of them were about to speak. Everyone except for Ron shut their mouths.

"Harry and Malfoy hate each other. How can they possibly be… mates," Ron asked, hesitating slightly before saying the word 'mates.'

"As I told Miss Granger, the Atrerres and Veela within Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy do not recognize their past feuds, though their kind may have been enemies in the past," Dumbledore put in when he saw Hermione about to speak up. "Their hearts do not recognize that. From now on they will only recognize each other as mates," Dumbledore explained. Blaise looked disgruntled.

"So you're telling me that when they wake up they're just going to be all lovey-dovey?" Blaise asked, sounding disgusted. Thinking of his friend turning into mush was not an appealing thought. Dumbledore shook his head.

"Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Potter's minds will not be affected. They will still feel the same about each other as they did before their inheritance. Though parts of their brains will recognize them as mates, so while they may still feel resentment towards each other, it will change as their minds start accepting that they're mates and they need each other. But it could happen quite quickly. Physical attraction between the two will be heightened enormously. They may find themselves thinking of the other quite often. While they may still argue, things may get quite.. _physical_ between them," Dumbledore told them. The students blushed.

"That's good. I don't think it'd be good if Draco completely changed because of this," Pansy said. Accepting the fact that her best friend's mate was Harry Potter (she and Blaise had already known about Draco being of Veela blood) was one thing, but having him change completely was another. The room's conscious occupants nodded.

"Wait. If Draco and Potter are mates, why didn't all this happen last night at the Welcoming Feast?" Pansy inquired.

"I would assume that it is because in your Potions class, the boys were in much closer proximity to each other, thus triggering the part of their brains that recognizes their mate," Dumbledore supplied. Pansy nodded, understanding.

"Professor? Could you explain to me what exactly an Atrerres is?" Ron asked. He was confused, to say the least. It didn't explain why Harry had fangs.

As if reading his mind, Dumbledore responded. "You're wondering about the fangs, are you not?" Ron nodded. "The fangs are used to draw blood from the Atrerres' mate. It is an essential part of the bonding process, showing that the mate is willing to devote his or herself completely to them," Dumbledore said. Ron had a disgruntled look on his face.

"So Harry's a Vampire?" Ron asked. Dumbledore shook his head.

"No. While Atrerres are related to Vampires, they are very different. Atrerres are the dominant in the relationship, but cannot live without their mates, as Vampires can. And unlike Vampires, as I've stated before, their mindset is not altered when their mate is discovered. Powerful Atrerres have even been known to sprout wings when the mating process is complete. They're strength and speed generally increase by an extraordinary amount. New powers are also gained, but the powers depend on the Atrerres. Some have been known to manipulate certain elements while others have gained the power of Telekinesis," Dumbledore explained. "They can also see perfectly clearly in any condition, including darkness," he added as an after thought.

"That would explain why Harry doesn't need his glasses anymore," Ron said to Hermione. She nodded in agreement before voicing her own question.

"You said Atrerres are dominant?" she asked Dumbledore. He nodded. "But I read that Veela are also dominant," she said. Pansy and Blaise agreed.

"That is true. Because of this we have no way of knowing who will truly be the dominant in the relationship. My guess is that they will have equal parts in the relationship," Dumbledore replied.

"You also said Harry could get wings? Will he just be walking around with wings out of his back?" Ron questioned.

"No, the wings will only be visible when Mr. Potter is experiencing an extremely strong emotion, such as fear, or happiness. That is, if he even inherits that trait," Dumbledore said.

"Okay. You also said that if he did it'd be when the 'mating process is complete.' When will that be?" Ron asked. Hermione blushed before whispering the answer in his ear. Ron's face turned a bright shade of pink that clashed deeply with his hair before muttering a soft, "Oh."

Suddenly a groan was heard. Everyone turned to see Harry's eyes fluttering. The silencing charm had long since faded.

Hermione and Ron rushed to his side. "Harry, Harry, are you alright?" Hermione asked her now-conscious friend. The raven-haired teen nodded weakly as his eyes opened fully.

"I'm fine," Harry responded, his voice raspy. It was mostly true. He only had a little bit of his headache left and other than feeling a bit warm, he felt perfect. Madame Pomfrey appeared with a glass of water and a vial of bright pink potion in her hand. Harry snatched the glass from her and downed it in one gulp.

"What's that?" Harry asked, his voice now strong and clear. He was gesturing towards the potion which Madame Pomfrey was now putting in his hand.

"It should help clear up whatever is remaining of your headache," the matron told him. He readily drank it before a look of disgust came over his face. It had tasted like stale milk mixed with tomatoes. And Harry was not fond of either.

"Ugh," Harry said. Ron patted his friend on the back comfortingly.

Another groan was heard, this time coming from the bed next to Harry's. The trio turned to see Draco mimicking Harry's earlier actions. Pansy and Blaise were by his side looking worriedly at him. Madame Pomfrey quickly gave him a glass of water and the potion. A look similar to Harry's when he was drinking the potion was passing over Draco's face.

"What are trying to do, kill me?" Draco cried. Harry scowled at him.

"She was only trying to help you Malfoy, so shut your mouth!" Harry said angrily. He could not however, ignore the flops his stomach was doing as he looked at Draco's face.

"You! You're the whole reason I'm here!" Draco yelled, pointing an accusing finger in Harry's direction. Harry looked startled.

"Like hell I am! If anything it's you that put me here!" Harry defended himself.

"You—" Draco began, but couldn't finish as Dumbledore cut him off.

"Boys, boys. I'm sure you have many questions, but they can wait until we get to my office. Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall should be arriving momentarily with clothing for each of you," Dumbledore told them. Right on cue, Severus and Minerva re-entered the infirmary, clothing under their arms. They set them at the end of the beds, before moving to stand by Dumbledore.

"Now, I'm sure you all have many assignments that need working on, so I suspect you shall be returning to your dormitories," Dumbledore said, his attention on Hermione, Ron, Pansy and Blaise. It was not really a question, so they nodded.

Hermione gave Harry a quick hug before leaving. Ron gave him a smile before following Hermione. Pansy squeezed Draco's hand and smiled at him before also exiting. Blaise gave him a pat on the back before trailing behind Pansy.

"If you would both please meet me in my office after you have changed into your clothes please," Dumbledore requested, before exiting the infirmary. Minerva and Severus followed after a look at their students.

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Draco and Harry started dressing in silence. Each took chances at glancing at the other. Draco simply could not keep his eyes off of Harry's smooth and chiseled chest. And Harry couldn't help but stare at Draco's firm legs and strong arms as they moved to put on his clothes.

Both boys felt disgusted as they felt… something harden down south. It was then Draco noticed Harry staring.

"See something you like Potter?" Draco sneered, but was actually quite curious as to why his "enemy" was staring.

"Yes." It slipped out before Harry could stop it. His eyes widened and he quickly clasped his hands over his mouth. Draco looked shocked before quickly covering it up with a smirk.

"I mean—that is to say—what I was trying—" Harry stuttered, trying to come up with a plausible excuse. Draco smirked wider before standing up straight and walking slowly over to Harry.

Harry gulped and backed up. Draco just stepped closer, his pants still in his hand. Both boys were clad in only their boxers. Harry tried to back up farther, but his bed interfered. Draco and Harry were now barely an inch apart. Draco dropped his pants to grab Harry's hand and place it on his bum. Harry, too shocked to withdraw, couldn't help but notice the firmness of it as his hand rested on Draco's rear.

Draco leaned in, his mouth next to Harry's ear. Inside he was screaming, asking why he was doing this, but he ignored it. "Is this what you like?" Draco asked, his breath ghosting over Harry's ear. Harry shivered involuntarily before gulping once more. Draco smirked again before pulling away quickly, leaving Harry stunned.

Harry was confused. He felt himself grow excited when Draco had approached him. He thought he would burst when Draco put his hand on his bum. '_He has a nice arse_,' Harry thought, before mentally kicking himself for having such thoughts. He hated Draco! He was a selfish git. '_A selfish git with a nice arse_.'

Harry once again mentally kicked himself. '_Does this mean Draco likes me?_' Harry asked himself. '_Wait, since when did he become Draco?_' he wondered. '_Since you found yourself admiring his rear end_,' he heard his inner voice respond. His mental foot was growing tired so Harry mentally slapped himself instead.

Draco too was having an internal battle. What had possessed him to approach the other boy? He hated Harry and hated being near him unless they were fighting. But their interaction had felt so… right. And part of Draco felt overjoyed at the prospect of Harry finding him attractive. Harry was quite pleasing to the eyes as well.

The blonde had not failed to notice how Harry had changed over the summer. '_He looks good with a tan_,' Draco mused. '_And his hair_…' Before Draco had found Harry's hair ugly and annoying. Now he found it incredibly sexy and longed to run his hands through the untamed locks. Draco mentally groaned. He should _not_ be thinking those things about his "enemy."

Needless to say Draco put on quite the show as they finished dressing, bending over slowly whenever necessary, and stretching longer than needed when putting on his shirt.

And needless to say Harry finished changing after Draco, with a blush on his face.

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Ah that was fun to write. We have our first bit Harry/Draco slash! You do not know how hard it was not making them kiss. xD I hope you guys enjoyed it all the same!

Up next: Harry and Draco find out what exactly is going on. How will they react:O

Anways, make this poor author happy by reviewing! Simply press the little 'Go!' button under this!


	4. You Can't be Serious!

AN: Yay for reviews! Not as many as last time, but still appreciated!

**Pen pencil whatever: **Your review was my favorite. Well I had to give a reason why Hermione was present. In reality I just wanted her there to give a bit of background info. I couldn't picture either of the professors saying what she did. You will see all their real reactions when they're alone or with friends. Don't worry. ;)

**BalrogGodZanus:** Is my user name that relevant? I think not. My user name is simply an oxymoron I thought was funny. And poor author as in "Awww, poor baby!" kind of thing. Though I am lacking in cash.

Once again, I don't own Harry Potter or its characters or any of that.

Well now. Onto the story!

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**Chapter Four: You Can't be Serious!**

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Madame Pomfrey gave Harry and Draco one last check over before she allowed them to leave the infirmary. They thanked her for her kindness before leaving. Well, Harry thanked her. Draco scowled at her for wasting his precious time.

The walk to the Headmaster's office was mostly silent as both boys mulled over what had happened back in the infirmary. They were confused and disgusted about it. Harry glanced at Draco before speaking.

"Why did you do that?" Harry asked softly. Draco was silent for a moment before shaking his head.

"I don't know," the blonde responded, equally quiet. Harry just nodded and didn't ask any further questions.

In no time they had reached the gargoyle. It was then both boys realized that they didn't have the password. Harry started the make random guesses.

"Cockroach cluster?" Harry asked. The gargoyle remained still.

"Sugar Quill?" Still no movement.

"Chocolate Frog?" Now it just seemed the gargoyle was mocking him. Harry glared at it angrily before continuing to make guesses at the password.

"For Merlin's sake Potter. As entertaining as this is, I'd like to get a move on. Lollipop," Draco sneered. Harry looked at him in shock for a moment before scowling at him.

"If you knew all along, why the hell didn't you say anything?" Harry asked him. He didn't particularly like making a fool of himself and Draco always seemed to make sure he did.

Draco just smirked before walking up the stair well, making sure to bump Harry's shoulder as he did. Harry muttered angrily before following the blonde.

When they got to the door this time Harry shoved Draco aside to knock on the door. Draco was about to say something before once again being cut off. This time by Professor Dumbledore. The old man smiled at them before stepping aside to allow them to enter.

The boys entered a room, and saw their heads of houses. There were four chairs. Minerva and Severus sat on the outer chairs, leaving Draco and Harry to take a seat in the middle, Harry by Minerva, Draco by Severus. Minerva gave Harry a reassuring smile while Severus just nodded curtly to Draco.

Dumbledore lowered himself into his chair, looking thoughtfully at Harry and Draco. Both boys squirmed a bit under his gaze, Draco far less noticeably than Harry.

"I assume you're both wondering why you're here?" Dumbledore asked them. They nodded. Dumbledore paused a moment, as though trying to figure out how he should break the news to them.

"First let's start of by letting Harry here know that Draco is a Veela," Dumbledore said. Harry's eyes widened.

"A Veela?" Harry asked. Draco looked at him as if he had grown three heads.

"Surely you've heard that by now?" Draco questioned, looking at Harry with disgust.

"Well yeah, but I thought they were just rumors," Harry said logically. Draco sneered, but didn't say anything. Harry mentally cheered. '_That must be why I thought what I did! He was using his weird Veela powers to get to me!_' Harry reasoned. '_But why would he want to get to me?_' Harry wondered. The answer immediately came to him. '_It's obvious! He wanted me to make a fool of myself! Well it worked_,' Harry thought glumly.

"What exactly do I being a Veela have to do with anything?" Draco asked, impolitely with a scowl on his face.

"You'll find out soon. Be patient," Dumbledore chastised. Draco scowled deeper. "Well it seems Harry here is an Atrerres," Dumbledore informed the two boys. Draco's mouth dropped in shock and Harry's face twisted up in confusion.

"You must be joking!" Draco cried. The last known Atrerres as said to have been seen in 1487!

"Exactly what Miss Granger said," Dumbledore's eyes twinkled brightly. Draco looked disgusted at being compared to Hermione. Harry leaned back in his chair, pondering what the professor had said.

"What exactly is an Atrerres?" Harry asked in wonder.

"You will find that out momentarily," Dumbledore responded.

"But--!" Harry began. Dumbledore gave him a stern look and Harry fell silent.

"I'm sure you both have many more questions. Before I answer them I'd like you to take a look into my pensive. But I would also like the first tell you something very important," Dumbledore said. Draco and Harry looked at him warily, not liking what he was saying.

"There really is not an easy way to tell you this. I must ask you to remain calm," Dumbledore said. This made Draco and Harry even more nervous. "It seems that you two are, to put it bluntly, mates," Dumbledore finished.

Draco made no effort to hide his shock. His mouth was agape and his eyes wide. Harry fell out of his chair and onto the floor with a crash. All eyes turned to him. The Atrerres blushed before mumbling an apology and picking up his chair. He seated himself and looked at the headmaster.

"No offense sir, but that's impossible. I know you're a powerful wizard and very intelligent, but you're just wrong on this. Malfoy and I are nothing short of enemies. He's a git and there's no way we're mates!" Harry told the headmaster.

"What Potter means to say is: you must be of your bloody rocker!" Draco shouted, remembering to get Harry back for the git comment later. Minerva glared at him for insulting the headmaster, Severus reprimanded him with a "Draco!" and Dumbledore just smiled knowingly at him. He had expected this sort of reaction. Harry was looking around the room as though someone were about to jump out and say "April Fools!"

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy I am quite serious. And I would prefer if you would watch your language Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore chided. Draco just sneered. "Now as I said I'd like you to take a look into my pensive before any more questions are asked," the headmaster told them.

Harry and Malfoy looked reluctant. They weren't mates, so what was the point? Surely this was all a big joke. Dumbledore looked sternly at them. Harry sighed before getting out of his seat. Draco sneered before standing. They would humor the man.

Dumbledore led them all over to the basin containing his memories. The silvery strands drifted about the bowl. Putting his wand to his temple, Dumbledore added the memory of the earlier meeting to the collection.

He gestured for the others to circle around him and join hands. Dumbledore joined hands with Harry and Minerva, who joined with Severus, who joined with Draco, who hands with Harry.

When Harry and Draco joined hands a shock went through them both. A warm feeling spread throughout them and Harry felt something. He felt like he was coming home after a long time away. Harry liked the feeling and didn't want it to stop and strengthened his hold on the hand. But then he realized just who's hand it was and quickly lessened the hold and a wave of nausea went through him.

Draco was feeling much along the same lines as Harry. A calm spread over the blonde and he felt as though he didn't have a care in the world. He almost let a sigh escape his lips before he remembered he wasn't alone with his mate. His mate. Harry Potter. The boy-who-would-not-die. '_Ugh, of all the people to stick me with, it has to be the most arrogant arse in the world_,' Draco thought angrily to whatever deity was listening.

The creatures were abruptly pulled out of their train of thought by Dumbledore.

"Alright now I do not want anyone to break their hold on the persons they are holding," Dumbledore instructed. "Now, on the count of three. One, two, thee," Dumbledore finished, focusing on the memory he had just added to the basin.

Harry felt the familiar feeling of falling. He unconsciously squeezed Draco's hand a bit tighter. Draco jumped. Or rather, he jerked. One could not really jump in mid-air. But feeling his mate's distress he squeezed back, conveniently forgetting just who his mate was. Harry relaxed almost instantly.

Their feet hit the ground and everyone but Draco and Harry released hands. Dumbledore and Minerva smiled slightly, and it was then that the boys realized why. They quickly dropped hands, and Harry blushed. Draco kept his cool exterior, but was mentally kicking himself.

"Alright, now I need you both to pay attention," Dumbledore told his students. The students in question focused all of their attention on the conversation playing out before them.

As he heard Blaise mention his fangs, Harry ran his tongue over them. They were sharp, but smooth. He re-focused on the matter at hand, but not completely.

Draco and Harry snuck glances at each other when the other wasn't watching. They blushed when they heard Dumbledore telling Hermione, Minerva, and Severus about them being mates. Harry smiled when Hermione took it so well, glad that he would at least have one friend left when push came to shove.

Harry's mouth opened in awe as he listened to the information about Atrerres. He was the only one since 1487? He had half-heard Draco say it, but had blocked it out. He had known he was special because of his damned scar, but this was just a whole different thing entirely!

When Ron and Draco's friends entered Harry felt a sinking feeling in his gut. Ron was not going to take this well.

But Harry was pleasantly surprised. Ron had reacted well. Harry had expected him to shout and throw things. But he just asked questions. Pansy and Blaise had taken it well tool. In fact, they seemed more curious than upset. But somehow Harry thought Ron was a little more upset than he let on. Once they were alone he knew he'd hear what he really thought.

'_They're taking it well_,' Draco thought happily. He knew his friends were disgusted. He could tell by the looks on their faces. Blaise and Pansy had indifferent looks on their faces, but Draco knew they were masking what they truly felt. But somehow he knew it would be alright.

When Dumbledore started mentioning more things about Atrerres per Ron's request, both Draco and Harry listened with deep concentration. At the mention of the Atrerres possibly sprouting wings, Draco glanced at Harry's back, picturing to magnificent black wings resting on it. Harry reached around and fingered his back softly before letting his hand drop. Draco turned his attention back to the scene in front of him.

The only thing Harry thought about when he heard he might gain new powers was that they would help him defeat Voldemort. If he were anyone else he knew he would be over the moon and laughing excitedly about how cool they were. But he knew he'd have to use his powers to kill a man. It didn't matter how evil he was, only that he had to take a human life. Harry's face hardened in resolve.

Draco felt his mate's sadness and his Veela side longed to wrap an arm around his mate's waste and tell him that it would all be alright. He wanted to kill Voldemort himself for making his mate feel this way.

But Draco didn't. He knew he couldn't. Part of him didn't want to. Harry was his enemy, no matter that he was his mate. He had hurt him over the years and annoyed him. He still did. So he just turned away from Harry leaving the raven haired boy to deal with his inner turmoil by himself. '_He deserves it_,' Draco thought, trying to push down the feelings up helplessness coming from his mate.

At Hermione's mention at both species being dominant, the boys glanced at each other. This time their eyes caught. Draco inhaled deeply at the sight of his mate's beautiful emerald eyes. Harry gasped slightly at the deep silver pools looking back at him.

Draco raised an elegant eyebrow and Harry narrowed his eyes at his mate. Both were sending the same message: _I_ will be the dominant one.

When they heard Harry groan, the Dumbledore from the present turned to face them. He nodded to them all, and they understood what he was saying. They all joined hands again, Draco and Harry feeling what they did before. They all felt their navels being pulled on and their feet soon felt the solid floor of Dumbledore's office. This time Draco and Harry quickly dropped hands.

"I know you both will still have many questions, so do not hesitate to ask. But at the moment, I am scheduled for a meeting at the Ministry," Dumbledore informed them. His eyes darkened briefly at the Ministry's mention before he continued. "I will give you both these books; they should answer most of your remaining questions."

Dumbledore handed Harry three books_. Atrerres: Nature's Dark Angels_,_ Kastran Bolareo: an Autobiography_, and _Creatures in Time_.

The first book was to help him find out more information on Atrerres and what to expect. The autobiography was to give him insight on what it was like to be an Atrerres from someone with first hand experience. The author had been an Atrerres in the 13th century. The final book was information about many different creatures. The sections on Veela and Atrerres had been highlighted by Dumbledore so they'd be easy to find. Harry knew he'd be reading these a lot.

He handed Draco two. _Being Adored: a Biography _and _Habits of a Veela_. The biography was of a man named Alain Pomeroy, A Veela who had been alive during the late 19th century and early 20th century. The second book was to let him know what would be happening and how to deal with the things when they did.

Both boys gave them their thanks and Dumbledore stood up.

"I'm afraid I must bid you farewell. As I said, do not hesitate to come to me or your Heads for any questions," Dumbledore told them. They nodded and Dumbledore smiled at them before leaving the room.

"Now boys, I think it's best if you go back to your dormitories and get some rest. You've had a long day and I'm sure you could use some rest," advised their Transfiguration professor, sounding eerily like Madame Pomfrey. Harry smiled graciously at her and Draco nodded. Both boys stood and left.

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The creatures walked closely down the corridor, occasionally bumping into each other. The walk was spent in uncomfortable silence as both of them thought about what they'd been told. As they reached the stairs, they stopped, neither sure what to do. Harry spoke first.

"Well I guess I should get going…" he trailed off uncertainly. Draco nodded quickly.

"Yeah," the blonde confirmed.

"Well… bye," Harry said, giving a small wave. He turned and started jogging up the stairs, trying to reach the top before they moved. Draco stared after him before turning and walking in the opposite direction towards the dungeons.

When Harry reached the top he turned to watch Draco leave. He sighed softly. '_Draco's such an arsehole, why'd I get stuck with him?_' Harry wondered. He had given up on trying to call him Malfoy. He turned around, facing a wall. And he had to admit, the boy was attractive, but he just couldn't find himself wanting to be with the boy for the rest of his life, no matter what he looked like.

'_But surely you felt it when you held hands, when your eyes connected. And what about the infirmary?_' Harry's conscience asked him. Harry shrugged it off. '_It was probably the side effects from all the potions Madame Pomfrey gave me_,' he reasoned. '_If you say so_,' his conscience retorted.

Harry sighed before continuing on his way up the stairs, not quite ready to see his friends. But he knew he had to get it out of the way, so he trudged on, dragging his feet. He never noticed Draco watching him.

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Woo. Sorry it took me so long to update. I've been busy. To make up for it I made this chapter a bit longer than the others. :

FYI, I know 'snuck' isn't a proper word, but I hate the word 'sneaked.' xP

I hope you all liked it. I personally don't think it's that great, but I think it gets the job done.

REVIEW PLEASE:D


	5. Reactions

AN: YAY FOR REVIEWS! 3 Seriously though. I love all of you for reviewing. Makes me VERY happy.

**SaphirePhoenix**: I love your review. Just because. 3

**finalfantasys-child**: xD Well I'm glad it made you laugh.

**Gaasythah**: hugs back Wow! You flatter me. 3

**One thing I want to ask. Why is it in most fanfics the authors address Harry as a brunette? Like they'll say, "The brunette sighed," or something. It says in the books Harry has unruly black hair. Or am I missing something?**

I don't own Harry Potter yada yada yada.

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**Chapter Five: Reactions**

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Harry stood outside the portrait of the Fat Lady trying to pluck up the courage to enter the Gryffindor common room. He sighed. He knew he would have to go in and face his friends. He didn't particularly want to, but he knew he should get it over with.

The portrait spoke up. "Are you alright dear?" the Fat Lady asked him. He nodded, the motion not quite reaching the rest of him. His body slumped and he just looked all around dejected.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he sighed again. "Pixie dust," Harry said the password. The Fat Lady looked sadly at him for a moment before swinging open.

As soon as Harry stepped inside he was pounced on by his friends. They steered him over to the couch and sat down. Harry vaguely noticed they were the only ones in the common room. Ron or Hermione had probably scared them off with some excuse. They sat in silence for a few moments before Hermione spoke up.

"Harry?" the brunette girl asked quietly. Harry glanced up at her before looking back down. His hands had become very fascinating. Hermione sighed. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"Not right now. Maybe later," Harry replied. Hermione nodded in understanding. She could only imagine what it must feel like to Harry. She put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"You know we'll always be there for you Harry," Hermione told him. Ron remained silent. Hermione nudged him and he spoke.

"I'm not going to lie here. Harry, you're my best mate. I won't support this, but I won't go against it. This is _Malfoy_ we're talking about here. Just because he's your mate now doesn't mean I'm going to like him. Nothing will change between the two of us. I hate him and he's a filthy git. So you and I are fine Harry, but don't think I'm happy about this," Ron stated, looking slightly cold.

Hermione's eyes widened and she opened her mouth to speak but Harry cut her off.

"You guys don't get it. There's nothing to support. I agree with you," Harry said, looking to Ron. "Malfoy is nothing but a selfish, arrogant git. I don't care what Dumbledore says, I'm not going to be with _him_ just because he's supposedly my mate. I'm going to go on like this never happened," Harry decided. Ron grinned and Hermione frowned.

"There you go mate! That's the spirit!" Ron clapped a hand on Harry's back and the Atrerres smiled slightly at his friend. Hermione's frown deepened.

"I'm sure you know Harry, Atrerres can't live without their mates," Hermione said gently, glaring at Ron.

Harry was silent as everything came crashing down on him with Hermione's statement. Draco Malfoy was his mate. For some unknown reason, the fates had decided to punish him by making Draco Malfoy his, Harry Potter's, mate. They made it so Harry couldn't live without the arrogant boy. He had no choice in the matter, such as many other things in his life. The raven haired boy snapped.

"Well I'm not exactly ordinary am I? I'm _special_," Harry sneered, emphasizing the last word. He jumped up off of the couch. "I'm the bloody 'Boy-Who-Lived', saviour to the wizarding world, the 'Chosen One', and now I'm a bloody Atrerres!" Harry shouted, his nostrils flaring. He barely registered the fact that he had just confirmed what the papers were saying about him; that he was the only one that could defeat Voldemort.

"On top of being the only one that can save the world, I now have to have Malfoy as a constant thorn in my side. I _have_ to be near the person I despise third most in the world, the person who's constantly tormented my friends, and me, for _six years_," Harry seethed. Hermione and Ron knew that Harry hated two people above anyone. Voldemort of course. But also Bellatrix Lestrange, the witch that had taken Harry's Godfather's life.

Hermione and Ron looked at their friend with mixed emotions. Both were sad that their friend thought this. They never knew he was so stressed. Hermione was disappointed in herself for not having recognized this sooner. Ron was happy that Harry didn't like Draco, but upset because of the same reason Hermione was.

"Oh Harry," Hermione cried, a tear running down her cheek. She rose from the loveseat and enveloped Harry in a tight hug. Harry stiffened for a moment before relaxing and returning the embrace.

"Geez mate. We had no idea you felt that way," Ron said, as he too rose from the sofa.

"Yeah well, now you do," Harry replied bitterly.

"Harry you need to talk to us. I'm not going to say I understand what you're going through, because I honestly don't. But we can try and help you through this," Hermione told him, pulling back a bit from the hug. Harry smiled sadly at her. He knew she was only trying to help.

"Yeah mate. It's not healthy to bottle everything up like that. You need to release some of that every once in awhile," Ron told his raven haired friend. Hermione looked at him in surprise. She didn't know Ron could sound so mature. He grinned slightly at her and she blushed before focusing her attention back on Harry.

"I know you're right guys," Harry sighed. "I just need some time alone. I need to think about all of this." Hermione and Ron nodded knowingly. Hermione hugged him once more before pulling back completely and standing beside Ron.

"Alright Harry. Just know that you can always talk to us," Hermione stated reassuringly. Harry smiled at her.

"Thanks guys," Harry said. He began to walk away from his friends. As soon as he was at the portrait Harry heard his name.

"Harry," Ron spoke up. Harry turned to look questioningly at his friend. "I know I said I wasn't happy about the whole Malfoy thing, and I'm not. But know that I would never turn my back on you because of it," Ron told his friend. Harry grinned at him.

"I know Ron. I know," Harry said, before turning again and walking out of the Gryffindor common room.

Hermione leaned into Ron tiredly. The red haired boy was startled, but he wrapped a comforting arm around her. She smiled before shutting her eyes, a feeling of troubled peace coming over her.

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Harry walked aimlessly among the corridors. He glanced at some portraits as he passed, though he didn't really see them. He was too lost in his own thoughts.

'_Of all people, why'd it have to be Draco?_' Harry sighed to himself. '_I suppose it could be worse. It could be Voldemort or something_,' the Atrerres joked darkly.

He suddenly found himself in front of the wall that concealed the Room of Requirement. It seemed his body had led him there, as though sensing his need to be alone. He paced back and forth three times, thinking the same thing repeatedly: _I need a place to think. I need a place to vent. I need a place to think. I need a place to vent…_

A door appeared just as Harry knew it would. He reached out and grabbed the brass doorknob, and opened the door. He stepped inside, looking around the room in surprise.

Harry had expected a room full of glass objects for him to throw. Instead he had entered a quite simple and cozy room. It had a distinctly inviting air about it. The walls were a deep blue, adorned with muggle paintings. The carpet was cream colored shag, which delighted Harry, who had immediately removed his shoes upon the discovery.

There was a fire, which was cracking away madly. The only furniture in the room was a beige colored loveseat with blue pillows and a coffee table in front of it. Harry figured it was to rest his feet on.

He walked over to the loveseat and sat down. On the coffee table there was a plain, black leather book. Picking it up, Harry inspected it curiously. He opened and found blank pages. He looked back on the table and noticed there was also a quill and ink there. He dipped the quill into the ink slowly. Apparently the room had decided the best way for him to relax and release his anger was through writing.

Harry knew the room always knew what was best, so he began to write, getting lost in describing his thoughts, fears, dreams, and today's events. Once he started Harry realized he couldn't stop, and his writing became more furious. As a droplet of water hit the paper, Harry vaguely realized he had begun to cry.

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Draco paced back and forth in front of the painting to his common room. He rang his hands nervously and his palms began to sweat. He quickly rubbed them on his robes in disgust. The blonde drew in a shaky breath before expelling it. He stood up straight, his shoulders back, and his nose in the air.

"Dew drops," Draco stated the password confidently. He strolled into the common room, glancing around in search of Pansy and Blaise. The Veela spotted them at the same time they spotted him. They were currently lounging on a deep green leather sofa. Pansy beckoned Draco over with a motion of her hand.

As Draco approached he was suddenly aware that all eyes were on him. People were obviously curious about what had happened in the potions earlier.

"What are you looking at?" Draco snapped, glaring at all the Slytherins in the common room (save Pansy and Blaise). A few jumped, while all quickly averted their gazes and began whispering amongst themselves. Draco rolled his eyes and resumed walking to his friends.

When he arrived at the long sofa he glanced at Pansy and Blaise, who were looking impassively at him.

"Well come on," Draco sighed. He turned and began walking towards the spiral staircase that led to the male dormitories. Pansy and Blaise soon followed. As the group reached the sixth year's dormitories, Draco opened the door, gesturing for his friends to go first. Pansy nodded to him while Blaise just walked in behind Pansy without sparing Draco a glance. The blonde hung his head as he followed his friends in.

Draco quickly shut the door and cast a locking and silencing charm around the room. He turned to find Pansy and Blaise sitting on Blaise's bed, looking at him expectantly. Draco sighed before sitting on his own bed, which was across from Blaise's.

"I know you've heard," Draco stated warily, looking up at has friends, who nodded. "Well then?" Draco asked patiently.

Blaise spoke first. "I know you have no choice Draco, but honestly. _Potter_?" Blaise inquired, an incredulous look on his face. Draco's features soured instantly.

"Well as you just so obviously stated: I have no choice. If I had one, do you think I would have chosen him?" Draco scowled. Blaise sighed and shook his head.

"I suppose not. But still, I'm not sure I'm going to be alright with this. Potter is an arse, plain and simple. And while I care about you, I just don't know if I can handle something as revolting as this," Blaise told Draco. "Though I am happy you chose someone with power, which could be used to a great advantage," Blaise added, always the Slytherin.

Draco nodded in understanding, but the Veela in him roared angrily as he heard his and Harry's relationship referred to as ugly, and Harry referred to as an arse. But Draco pushed those feelings down in disgust.

"You have to admit though: Potter is quite a fox," Pansy giggled, speaking for the first time. Draco

and Blaise looked at her in disgust and horror. The girl giggled again.

"Oh come on! Just picture him with a shirt off, all those hours of Quidditch training must make his body quite pleasing to the eyes!" Pansy prodded. Draco rolled his eyes.

"Been there, seen that," Draco drawled in response. His eyes widened as he realized what he had said. Pansy looked at him in shock and delight while Blaise looked disgusted.

"Ugh," Blaise grunted.

"I have to go," Draco said, standing up and walking towards the door. Pansy pouted.

"Oh come on Draco! Tell me how it was! Did he look good?" Pansy asked, sounding like a little girl in a candy store. Draco scowled before opening the door and exiting the dormitory.

Draco needed to think. And he knew just the place to do it. He descended the stairs and exited the Slytherin common room. Once outside he set off towards his destination.

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So sorry it took me so long to update! A storm passed though and the power went out, then the internet messed up so I couldn't update. xP

Anyways, how did you like it? I had a hard time with Pansy and Blaise, since JK doesn't talk about them much.

How do you all feel about m-preg? It won't affect the story, I'm just curious.

I already have a good idea in mind for chapter six, so be ready!


	6. Interrupted

Well it seems a lot of you like m-preg! I noticed a few of you don't though and I can see why. I was just wondering because I see a lot of m-preg stories out there.

And thank you to all of you who cleared up the brunette thing for me. I never knew it meant for black hair too. I always thought brunette meant brown haired. Thanks:)

HOLY CRAP. TWENTY-EIGHT REVIEWS! That's amazing! You guys are fantastic, thank you soooo much for reviewing. :D

**Night Air**: Do you have any suggestions? I know I'm not the most talented writer in the world, and if you see anything specific I can improve on all suggestions would be helpful (**in fact, if anyone sees anything I can improve on writing wise, tell me!**).

**Fleure**: I can see what you mean. However with Harry being the creature he is, it is highly unlikely that anyone would have guessed what he is. And seeing as how Harry is rather clueless when it comes to the magical world, I'm sure he'd be clueless. Suppose he asked Hermione about it, since she was so shocked she would probably think he was a vampire. I just think since Dumbledore is rather knowledgeable he'd be the best one to tell them. I just don't think Harry would be able to figure it out on his own and Draco would be in denial.

I don't own anything involving Harry Potter. :(

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**Chapter Six: Interrupted**

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Harry sighed as he set his new journal back down on the table. Tears still leaked out of the corners of his slightly red and puffy eyes. He brought his hand up to wipe the water droplets away from his face.

Thinking about the day's events, Harry shut his eyes. Draco's face popped into his mind. Harry sneered and shook the image away, instead focusing on his friends. Ron and Hermione had reacted better than he had ever dreamed of.

Harry smiled as he thought of Hermione and Ron. His best friends were his twin pillars. Without them, he would surely fall. They were his support system. He told them everything (within reason). They pulled through everything together, through thick and thin (though mostly thick).

They Atrerres' smile broadened as he remembered how Ron said he would not turn his back on him. That was something Harry had been worried about. He knew Ron despised Draco with a passion, and thought his anger with the young Malfoy would cloud his vision in knowing it was not Harry's choice to be paired with him.

Hermione was another story. Harry had been fairly certain that she would stand by him. The brunette girl was nearly always level headed and he knew she would support him and help him through this. She was a caring girl, Hermione. Harry knew he could count on her for anything. And she would surely be able to answer most of his questions regarding his heritage.

Thinking of his heritage, Harry sighed once more, the smile sliding off of his face. He was an Atrerres, plain and simple. The Gryffindor Golden Boy now had one more thing about him that mad him special.

'_Ugh, I really hate to be the typical angst-filled teenager_,' Harry sneered to himself. It really did bother him. He hated it when other people were so upset over such trivial things, such as not getting the new broom they wanted, or not being given what they wanted for Christmas. While Harry had a much bigger burden, and he knew this, he felt he had no room to complain.

But he _wanted_ to complain. He was stuck with Draco bleeding Malfoy as his life mate. And no matter that he hated the git; he couldn't even _live_ without him. Harry opened his eyes to find something to throw to release his anger.

On command a very expensive looking blue vase appeared on the coffee table. Harry gladly picked it up and chucked it at the wall across from him. Harry smirked as it hit the wall and immediately broke on impact, the glass pieces falling to the floor with a crash.

Suddenly Harry heard the door being opened. He turned to see the person that had previously occupied his thoughts. The raven haired boy's mind went blank as the person stepped into the room cautiously and shut the door behind them, giving him a wary look.

"We need to talk," they said in resolve. Harry gulped, fearing what was to come.

----------------------

Draco stormed the halls angrily. A group of first years looked at him with scared looks on their faces as he passed. He stopped and turned to face them. A cold glare settled on his face and the first years scurried away in fear. The blonde smirked to himself, glad that at least one thing about him would never change.

But everything else was rapidly changing. And all because of one thing: Harry bleeding Potter was his bloody _mate_. He was stuck with the Golden Boy for life, and he was given no option out of it, unless he or Harry died. And he loved life too much (though not at this particular moment) to commit suicide, and if he killed Harry… Well the blonde might as well have been dead for what would happen to him.

Draco sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose, shutting his eyes. He did have to admit, Harry was attractive. But that was the end of the list of positive attributes about the boy as far as Draco was concerned. He was stuck up, full of himself, and could get away with anything. The last thing angered Draco more than anything. No matter what Harry Potter did wrong, he would always get away with it.

Without thinking about it, Draco slammed his fist into the wall and it gave a sickening crack. His eyes screwed shut in pain, and he gave a sharp intake of breath, but that was all. He re-opened his eyes and took a look at his hand.

His knuckles were covered in blood, and the red rivers were slowly working their way down his hand. Draco glanced at the wall and staggered back, his pain forgotten. There was a large dent in the wall, and Draco noticed bits of stone on the floor. '_Wow_,' was all Draco thought.

He looked around to make sure he was alone. Draco did not want to be found here, in front of a dented wall with a bloodied hand; questions would surely be asked. Taking another look at his hand, Draco gasped. It was completely healed, though still covered in blood. The pain was gone, and the only evidence of his outburst was the red liquid covering his hand.

He would certainly have to look this up later.

Remembering how it would look if he were to be found there in his current state, Draco glanced around before once again setting off towards his destination, though this time at a much brisker pace.

Draco rounded the corner and collided with someone. Both involved fell to the floor in a heap. Draco disentangled himself from the body and stood quickly, brushing off his robes. He turned to sneer at the person who had run into him. He quickly masked his shock at who it was with a scowl.

Hermione slowly got up, looking warily at Draco. She, too, dusted off her robes before standing straightly. He knew she knew of course, and had no idea how to react.

She sent a questioning glance towards his hand, though he pretended not to see. Draco noticed that there was a slight blood stain on the hip of her white button-up shirt. Hermione followed his line of vision and with a quick "Scourgify," her uniform was clean once again.

Draco, feeling embarrassed for not remembering to do so, quickly mimicked her actions and removed the blood from his hand.

"I apologize," Hermione said, nodding to him. "I was not looking where I was going."

"Of course you weren't," Draco snapped. He knew of course, that he should be nicer to her, for she knew of his… predicament. If she were to tell anyone he was supposed to be mated to Harry, Draco would be knocked down a few bars in terms of power.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. She had tried being civil for Harry's sake, and would continue trying as hard as she could. The brunette took a step closer to Draco.

"Listen here _Draco_," she stressed his name. "I have a feeling you and I are going to be spending quite a bit of time in each other's company, and I suggest losing the attitude." Hermione shoved past him, continuing on her way as though their encounter had never happened.

Draco stood still for a moment as what Hermione said caught up with him. He scowled deeply at the thought of spending _any_ time with her. '_No matter. I won't be spending any time with the mudblood because I won't be spending any time with Potter_,' Draco thought in denial.

Shaking his thoughts away, Draco turned and continued on his way. Before long he had reached his destination. The Veela smiled slightly, thinking of how relaxing a nice, hot bath would be.

----------------------

Harry sighed to himself, running a hand through his hair, a nervous habit of his.

"I suppose we do," he said dejectedly. And they really did, no matter how much Harry wanted to prolong it. The raven haired boy motioned for the other occupant of the room to join him on the sofa. They gave him a slight smile before sitting down.

"Harry, you know I love you," they said softly, grabbing his hand. Harry glanced at them before averting his gaze to his hands.

"I know, 'Mione. And I love you too," Harry told her. She smiled again at him, and he smiled back.

"I'm glad," Hermione stated. And she was. Not just because that Harry loved her, for she already knew that. But because, as much as Harry didn't want to admit it, he had someone that would be there for him when she and Ron could not be.

Draco and Harry would not immediately accept the fact that they were mates. And even once they did, the hostility between the two was not likely to let up. But once it finally did, Hermione knew that they would be close. And Harry needed that.

He had Ron and Hermione, but they were not the same as a beau. A mate brought the kind of support and love that was special. And no matter how much they tried, Hermione and Ron could not give him that.

The structure Harry would eventually gain from this relationship would help him immensely. Not only with the war, but with life. Hermione knew that having a mate, even if it was Draco Malfoy, would bring happiness for her friend. And he deserved a bit of happiness.

Hermione felt arms encircle her waist, bringing her out of her thoughts. She was surprised to see Harry tentatively hugging her, as if he shouldn't be. She brought her arms around his back and held him close.

With that gesture Harry broke down. He grasped Hermione as though she was his only lifeline and he was drowning in a pool of endless water. Sobs racked the Atrerres' body and tears spilled from his eyes, dampening Hermione's shirt.

Hermione tightened her hold on him, drawing small circles on his back as Harry unloaded on her. She could only imagine what Harry must have been going through.

As she heard a loud sob, Hermione brought her head down on Harry's shoulder. She began to whisper comforting words in his ear, trying to let him know that it would all be alright.

And she truly hoped it would be.

----------------------

Draco settled into the warm water of the Prefect's bath with a content sigh. This was exactly what he needed. A nice hot bath was just the thing to relax him and take his mind off of things.

Sinking deeper into the water, Draco leaned his head back, effectively soaking his hair. Pulling his head back above the water, the blonde swam towards the middle of the Olympic-sized bath tub and fell back gently. As he balanced himself, he floated gracefully on his back.

Draco shut his eyes, reveling in the feeling of the water around him.

He floated for a few moments before…

_WHAM!_ Draco sank beneath the water as he was suddenly flooded with a feeling of utter despair. As he pushed back above the surface, Draco gasped. Not only to refill his lungs with air; the emotional pain he was going through was nearly unbearable.

The Veela immediately knew that the despair was coming from his mate. And it terrified him that his mate was feeling this way. Veela typically only felt about half of their mate's emotions, so if this was only half of the pain Harry was going through, Draco shuddered to think about what the boy was actually feeling.

After unsuccessfully trying to push away the emotion, Draco rose out of the bath. Quickly drying himself with a towel, he began to dress. Once he was finished he rushed out of the room, desperately trying to feel out his mate.

Draco was trying very hard to convince himself that the only reason he was searching for Harry was to yell at him for interrupting his bath. And that is what he would tell anyone who asked.

A mental pull told him that Harry was somewhere above him, so Draco sprinted up the stairs until he felt the pull guide him to the right.

Draco continued to let the feeling guide him until he reached…a wall.

The Veela stomped his foot and grunted in frustration. He began pacing, thinking of all the possible place Harry could be. The Gryffindor common room perhaps? Or maybe the tree by the lake?

As Draco was about to turn away to search those places (he would go to the lake first, praying to any God that would listen that Harry was there so he wouldn't have to face the Gryffindors), he noticed a door had appeared on the wall.

Draco eyed it cautiously before pulling it open.

----------------------

Hermione turned as she heard the door being opened. To say she was shocked would be an understatement.

Draco Malfoy stood at the door, looking at the two Gryffindors uncertainly. He looked as though he wanted to grab Harry and hold him, but he also looked as though he wanted to turn around and walk right back out the door.

Harry had fallen into a troublesome sleep, occasionally crying out or shaking. Hermione gave Draco a wary look before gesturing him over with a nod of her head.

Draco took a deep breath before walking slowly over to Harry and Hermione. Hermione eyed him critically. She gave him a look that said, '_If you hurt him, so help me Merlin, I will rip your intestines from your body and force feed them to you_.' Draco gulped and nodded.

Hermione carefully lifted Harry's head with her hands. She slid gracefully out from underneath him, still holding the raven haired boy's head in her hands. Draco quickly took Hermione's previous place and she removed her hands, letting Harry's head rest in his mate's lap.

The brunette girl smiled at them. Draco seemed very uncomfortable and looked as though he would rather be anywhere but where he was.

"I'm only here because he interrupted my bath," Draco told Hermione, trying to convince her and himself. She only gave him a knowing smile and a nod before turning and leaving.

Once she left, Draco's feeling of being uncomfortable only increased. He looked down at the Atrerres and sighed. He cautiously put a hand on Harry's back. Noticing that Harry had unconsciously leaned into the touch, Draco lifted his hand.

Harry gave a whimper and Draco sighed. He once again rested his hand on Harry's back, but this time began to move his hand in small circles, just as Hermione had done. Harry, too, sighed, though his was out of contentment.

Draco felt his heart warm unwillingly at the sound. Feeling disgusted at himself, Draco sneered. He could not believe what he was doing. Here he, the Ice Prince of Slytherin, was comforting the Gryffindor Golden Boy. He shut his eyes and groaned.

It was then that Draco realized how tired he was. He ran his free hand through his still damp hair and shut his eyes again. His last thought before sleep over came his was, '_How the hell am I going to explain _this_ in the morning?_'

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Woo! Another chapter done. It seems as though Draco is _sort of_ starting to warm up to being with Harry. And I use 'sort of' very loosely.

This chapter is slightly longer than the others. Sorry for the wait, I had a busy weekend.

I can't believe I have **ninety** reviews. You guys are seriously amazing. I'm hoping with this chapter I'm going to break the one hundredth review mark. Please don't disappoint me! I hope I didn't disappoint you with this chapter! Please let me know what you thought!


	7. It was YOUR Fault!

Wow you guys. You make me so happy! I broke the one hundredth review mark by a fair bit! I love you guys. 3

I got TWENTY NINE REVIEWS! You guys are great!

**AngelicOrqueil**: falls over Wow! You flatter me! I'm so glad you like it!

**Unique Dark Rose**: Well I can't tell you if it will be m-preg! It would totally ruin it!

**Night Air**: I completely understand!

**Fexx**: Yes, I see what you mean when you say those things.

**Witch2b**: I do not have a beta currently (well all the chapters including this one have not been read over by a beta), though I was talking to my sister earlier and she said she would beta me. However she's not online right now (she's probably sleeping), and I don't want to go downstairs to wake her up. :P So probably most chapters after this will be read and checked by her.

I don't own anything from the novels, yada yada yada.

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**Chapter Seven: It was YOUR fault!**

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As Harry slowly gained consciousness he dimly realized that he was not alone. As he wakened a bit more his mind replayed the last day's events to him. When he remembered his break down with Hermione, he figured the person he was rested against was his best friend. The Atrerres groaned and snuggled deeper into his pillow.

An arm slowly encircled Harry's waist. Because Harry was lying down in "Hermione's" lap, it turned him over, and the hand rested firmly on the raven haired boy's stomach. Harry set his hands on the ones covering his abdomen and frowned. 'This doesn't feel like Hermione's hand… It's much too large,' Harry thought, rubbing the hand against his own.

Harry cracked open an emerald eye cautiously. He blinked owlishly a few times to rid his eyes of sleep. When his eyes finally settled on the person above him he was shocked. Holding him was none other than Draco Malfoy.

Paying no mind to the blonde above him, Harry scrambled away quickly. However, in his haste he had forgotten the coffee table in front of the sofa. He fell gracelessly to the floor with a strangled cry.

The sudden motion roused Draco. He scowled at having his sleep disrupted before opening his eyes. He looked around for the source of the disturbance. He found Harry on the ground and raised a delicate eyebrow at him.

Harry glared at Draco and scrambled to stand up. As soon as he was upright, he stepped a good five feet backward, putting distance between them.

Remembering Harry's break down the previous night, Draco eyed the boy cautiously, but tiredly, seeing as how sleep had not entirely left him.

He stood up slowly, as though Harry would attack him with any sudden movements.

"Potter…" Draco said slowly, with his hands slightly raised. "Let me explain."

Harry whipped out his wand and turned it on Draco, cursing himself for not doing it sooner.

"Explain what exactly? What kind of explanation could you give for… _holding_ me?" Harry questioned angrily. Surely Draco would find some sort way to use this against him.

The boy in question sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets. There seemed to be something in the left one, for Harry could see his hand moving within it, as though fiddling with something.

"You interrupted my bath," Draco supplied, as though that answer made all the sense in the world. Harry looked at him with disbelief written on his face.

"You mean to tell me that I woke up to find you holding me because I interrupted your _bath_? Of course, how could I have been so daft? That makes perfect sense," Harry responded, his tone heavily layered with sarcasm.

Draco scowled at Harry for insulting him. He pulled his right hand out of his pocket, his left still fiddling with the hidden object that was in the other. A manicured finger directed itself in Harry's direction.

"I am here because _you_," Draco stepped closer to Harry, who in turn backed up, "decided to have a little break down. And because _you_," Draco took another step, as did Harry, "were feeling distressed _I_ was feeling distressed; call it a Veela thing.

"I was in the bathroom, _trying_ to relax, but of course _you_," this time Harry backed into a wall, "couldn't let me enjoy myself!" Draco was now only about three feet away from Harry, who gulped at Draco's angry glare.

"So I came here, to get _you_," only one foot remained between them, "to stop being so bloody depressed so I could return to my relaxing evening. Granger—," Draco was abruptly cut off by Harry.

"What did you do to Hermione?" Harry demanded, worried about his friend. Draco rolled his eyes at the other boy's antics.

"If you would let me _finish_," Draco sneered at Harry, who blushed. "Granger was here and decided that I was the best one to tend to you. You were asleep, and Granger didn't want to disturb you so she forced me to take her place.

"She said she would hex me if I didn't. I could have handled her, but that would mean waking you up and making you even _more_ distressed, which would make _me_ more distressed," Draco explained, fudging the truth a bit. Harry seemed to think about what had been said for a second before accepting it. Draco smirked, glad that Harry didn't question anything.

"So this is all _your_," Draco took one last step closer to Harry and prodded him in the chest, "fault."

Harry gulped again at Draco's condescending tone. The raven haired boy moved to maneuver his way around Draco, but found he could not escape. Draco smirked at having trapped the boy.

It was then that Harry realized how close the two were. He could smell Draco's scent: rain. There was no other way to describe it. He smelt like the outdoors did after a heavy storm passed through.

The longer he stayed there, the more the smell began to overwhelm Harry. It intoxicated him; he wanted more. Harry glanced up at the blonde and saw his smirk. "Trapped, eh Potter?" Draco taunted.

Harry smirked back, confusing the other boy. The Atrerres grabbed Draco's shirt and pulled him close. Harry grinned at the befuddlement on the blonde's face, and abruptly shoved the other boy back, but not before inhaling deeply.

Caught of guard, Draco stumbled back, and hoped for something to fall back on. The room supplied a bed, covered in dark blue and silver silk. The back of Draco's knees hit the bed, making him fall upon it. Thanking the room mentally, he moved to stand. He was going to give Potter a piece of his mind.

As soon as Draco was propped on his elbows he fell back down. Though this time the reason for his fall was a body. Pressed against him was, much to his surprise, Harry. He looked up, ready to yell at the Boy-Who-Lived but stopped short at the look in his eyes. Lust.

Harry grabbed Draco's arms and forced them above his head. The smirk adorning his face was worthy of a Malfoy.

"Who's trapped now, _Draco_?" Harry whispered, his breath ghosting across Draco's lips. The Veela shivered at the feeling and held Harry's gaze.

Seeing the passion in Draco's eyes sent Harry over the edge. He crashed his lips down against Draco's hard, grinding his hips in the other boy's. Draco responded with equal vigor, arching his hips into Harry's to meet him with equal force. Draco moaned at the contact and Harry gasped in pleasure.

The kiss was full of want, lust, and passion. It was rough and needy and displayed everything the boys were feeling at the moment. Draco ran his tongue along Harry's bottom lip, begging for entrance. Harry obliged without hesitation, giving Draco access.

Draco's tongue met Harry's in a battle of dominance. Neither boy faltered as their tongues twisted and turned in a dance of passion. Draco forced his way past Harry's tongue and began to explore the other boy. Harry followed suit, making sure every nook and cranny of Draco's mouth was given attention.

Harry vaguely noticed that Draco tasted like peppermint, before returning to his voyage of the other boy's mouth. Draco ran his tongue across the roof of Harry's mouth in a slow manner, making sure the Atrerres would never forget this.

They pulled apart briefly, for air was becoming an issue. No sooner than their lips had separated, Harry moved to Draco's neck. His tongue flickered dangerously across the fair skinned boy's pulse point, earning a moan.

Harry smirked and attached his mouth to Draco's neck and sucked gently, moving his tongue in circles. Draco closed his eyes in ecstasy. '_If this is a dream I never want to wake up_,' Draco thought desperately.

Yearning to run his hands through Harry's raven locks, Draco tugged his hands free of Harry's. Tangling his hands in the mop of hair, he gasped. Harry had bitten down lightly on Draco's neck, and his fangs had lightly punctured the skin.

Harry hesitated, as though asking permission. Draco let out a breathy, "Don't stop," which Harry grinned at. He applied a bit more pressure, and punctured Draco's artery.

A moan escaped Harry as he tasted the Veela's blood. It was sweet and warm with a bitter hint to it; it was perfect. As the blood rolled across Harry's tongue he swallowed it greedily, wanting to taste more. A warm feeling spread throughout Harry as he fed off Draco's life source.

Draco gasped in surprise. It felt nothing like he thought it would. He thought it would be painful and uncomfortable, but it was anything but. When his neck was first punctured there was a stab of pain, but after that it had been pure bliss. It was comforting, it was sensual… it was the most erotic thing he had ever experienced.

As Harry continued to drink, both boys shared the same thought: _This is heaven_.

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(I was so tempted to stop here)

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Hermione rounded the corner quickly, anxious to get to the library. If need be she would use her Prefect position to get her in, seeing as it was now after curfew. Normally Hermione would never break curfew, but she was longing to find out more about Veela and Atrerres.

The Room of Requirement was a fair bit away from the library, so as soon as she had left Draco with Harry she had set off towards it. She smiled slightly as she remembered the sight of Harry in Draco's arms.

Before he left, she noticed Harry had brought some books back with him. But Hermione thought it would be rude to read them without his permission, so she set them aside. She would simply use what she could find on the creatures until Harry returned.

Finally reaching the corridor that held the library, Hermione nearly sprinted down it. As the library came into view, she lost her will power and ran the last few yards. Entering quickly she looked around for Madame Pince.

Spotting her in an aisle in the back, Hermione went towards the creature section, not wasting time on alerting the librarian of her presence. If Madame Pince wanted to know why she was here Hermione would tell her it was for a research paper.

Hermione scanned the section quickly, looking specifically for books about Atrerres and Veela. There were many more on Veela than there were on Atrerres since they were more common. She was a bit disappointed, but not discouraged.

Her search continued for a good ten minutes before she decided to check out the books she had already found and come back at a later date to find more.

She pulled out the six books on Veela and the two on Atrerres and set off in search of Madame Pinch again. If she was to read these within the week they were allowed to be rented, she needed to get started straight away.

----------------------

Harry pulled back slowly, slightly dazed from his experience. He noticed that as soon as his lips had detached from Draco's neck the wounds closed and the blood soaked into the pale skin. Two tiny holes remained where Harry had drunk.

He reached out a steady hand and ran his fingers lightly over the scar. Draco sighed in contentment at the feeling of his mate's fingers along his neck.

Reaching up, Draco took Harry's hand in his and continued to run his hand over the marks. Harry looked down questioningly at Draco, but smiled when he noticed the other boy's eyes were shut and his lips were slightly upturned.

Harry realized that Draco must rarely show this side of him. Pansy and Blaise were probably the only ones to ever see him without his guards up. The Slytherin Ice Prince couldn't very well be seen strutting Hogwarts with a smile on his face, could he? A smirk, yes. A grin, no.

It was then Harry remembered who he was with. Draco Malfoy, the person who had tormented him and his friends for six years. Harry sat up quickly, dislodging his hand from Draco's. This led to him straddling the blonde, who looked at him in wonder.

"This is wrong," Harry said softly. Draco looked confused for a moment before it too dawned on him who he was with. He shoved Harry to the side and rolled off the bed and into a standing position.

Draco crossed his arms in defense over his chest. When he had heard what Harry said a sharp pain flared up in his stomach. The blonde forced it away and it was replaced with disgust. He reached up and felt at the place Harry fed from and sneered at the other boy.

"Don't you _ever_ touch me again, Potter," Draco spat in distain. Harry glared at his mate, but faltered when he felt his heart twinge in hurt. He quickly masked it and resumed his sneer.

"You didn't exactly stop me!" Harry pointed out angrily. '_How dare he place the blame on me. It was entirely his fault; I bet he used some of his blithering (1) Veela powers!_' Harry raged mentally.

"Shut up, Potter," Draco whispered angrily, giving Harry a fierce glare that sent chills up the Atrerres' spine.

Draco whirled around and proceeded towards the door. As he walked he smoothed his robes and fixed his mussed hair. Harry rolled his eyes at Draco's back. '_Typical_.'

Swinging the door open, Draco stepped into the hall. He didn't even bother shutting it as he trekked onwards, staring straight ahead with an infuriated look on his face.

'_Bloody Potter!_' The Veela thought bitterly. He angrily wiped away a tear that had escaped his watering eyes. He wasn't upset because he was sad. He was upset because he was disgusted with himself.

'_Ugh, that filth! I bet he did this. I don't rightly know how, but he forced me to do it!_' Draco rubbed at his mouth and neck furiously, willing all evidence of his encounter with Harry to simply vanish.

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_(1)_- Blithering is used like bloody. It would be like if I wrote "_his bloody Veela powers_!"

Yay! They finally kissed! I really hope I did it okay, it's my first real kissing scene. I hope I didn't disappoint you! If it was bad, or didn't meet expectations, let me know and I'll re-do it.

Little tid-bit: I wrote the kissing scene listening to "Lips like Morphine" by Kill Hannah.

I'm not totally happy with the ending, but whatever.

As I said before, I do not currently have a beta. Though starting next chapter my sister said she would start doing it for me. :)

PLEASE REVIEW! It gives me the will to keep writing!

P.S. Why is it I always seem to update around 2 in the morning?


	8. The Letter

Okay, I'm REALLY sorry for not updating! I really don't have an excuse. I just had major writer's block. I sat down three times attempting to write this chapter and I just couldn't!

But thank you for the reviews! I'm glad you guys liked it. :)

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**Chapter Eight: The Letter**

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Harry sighed before taking the few necessary steps forward to be next to the door. He gave the wood a shove and heard the satisfying click of it closing. Turning around, he walked back over to the sofa and sat down. He turned to his right and saw the bed, and quickly asked the room to dispose of it.

He leaned back against the armrest and grunted in frustration. How could he have done that? With _Malfoy_ of all people! '_Sure, he's attractive, but the list of good qualities ends there,_' Harry thought to himself. Then he literally smacked himself on the forehead at the thought.

Wishing to know the time, Harry sat up and looked around. To his joy, there was a clock on the wall to his left and it showed 11:54 AM. '_Hmmm, almost lunch. I am quite hungry_,' he realized. His stomach was soon heard growling in agreement.

Standing, Harry once again headed towards the door. Though this time he clutched the brass knob and pulled it open. Just as he was about to make his way out the door he suddenly felt as though he were forgetting something.

He turned around in search of the missing object. On the table Harry saw his new diary. He quickly strode over to the table and picked it up, turning it over a few times in his hands. The Gryffindor cast a quick shrinking charm before pocketing the journal and once more proceeded to leave the Room of Requirement and head for the Great Hall.

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"Stupid, ruddy Potter," Draco grumbled. "Just had to go and kiss me."

Draco was angry. First "Potter" had to go and… molest him, and then he had the nerve to tell Draco it was wrong! As if he didn't know that! He would have shoved the other boy off, of course, but Harry was using some sort of Atrerres control over him.

He would have resisted in a heart beat. But the Atrerres had Draco pinned beneath him. What was he to do? Harry had invaded his mouth roughly, leaving Draco to fight back with his own tongue. Then Harry had paused in his rampage, telling Draco _it was wrong_. Obviously it was!

Reaching the doors to the Great Hall, Draco realized his feet must have carried him to the hall out of habit. His stomach growled and he figured it was lunch time.

"Tempus," Draco grunted. The time showed 11:51 AM. "No sense in starving myself," Draco reasoned. Besides, he had to talk to Blaise and Pansy. They would understand where he was coming from.

So with that thought he forced open both doors of the Great Hall with his hands, stepping inside dramatically. Everyone looked at him as he stalked over to the Slytherin table where his friends were sitting. His robes flared out dramatically, looking eerily like Severus'.

Draco dusted off the chair at the head of the table before sitting gracefully. He looked over at Pansy and Blaise, nodding to them, signaling they needed to talk. The nodded back in understanding. Knowing his friends would meet with him, he turned to the food at the table and began to prepare his meal, unconsciously registering the fact that a certain green-eyed assailant was missing from the room.

----------------------

As Harry walked down the hall he thought about what had happened. He, Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, had had a rather fierce snogging session with Draco Malfoy, the Ice Prince of Slytherin. And he had liked it. Very much, actually.

Truth be told, he had felt it when hurt shot through Draco at Harry's words. He was puzzled though. Why would Draco be upset with what he said? What they did was wrong, surely the blonde thought so too?

Harry ran a hand through his hair in frustration. In all honesty it had not felt wrong. His body and half of his mind were in heaven. Kissing Draco was the best thing he had ever experienced.

If only Harry weren't stuck with such a git! If only he his mate had been Seamus, or Dean. No, Harry was not straight. He was bisexual, in fact. He had known since the middle of third year, when he had been admiring his team mates in the changing room. He knew he wasn't gay, since he had had quite a large crush on Cho.

He would have been fine if he didn't have a mate. Harry hadn't exactly been lucky in the love department prior to this, and he was sure he would've been just fine if he didn't have Draco. Besides, he didn't want Draco to get hurt. And he knew if they got together he could end up seriously injured or dead.

And that confused him. Why didn't he want Draco to suffer, to be hurt? Harry blamed it on the Atrerres part of him. Surely if he weren't Draco's… mate he would pay many galleons to see Draco in pain.

But now he didn't. He probably never really would have. The more he thought about it, the more Harry realized he never did truly hate the boy. The only people he had ever hated were Voldemort and Bellatrix Lestrange. Sure, the blonde annoyed him and was very arrogant, but he had not murdered his godfather, nor was he a Dark Lord.

Voldemort. The wizard remained his biggest problem, even with the Draco issue. Every day, people were steadily growing more worried, for nothing had been heard from the wizard for many months. Harry's scar gave the occasional prickle, but aside from that, all was quiet.

That made Harry quite nervous. The silence just meant Voldemort was gaining power with each passing day; that he was biding his time to make one large strike at the wizarding world. And the attack would surely be the straw that broke the camel's back, the strike that would lead up to the end of the war that burdened Harry.

With the end of the war, Harry would no longer have to worry about those he held dear being injured or, even worse, killed. He had just recently lost Sirius to the veil in the Department of Mysteries. The Atrerres was just beginning to get over his god father's death with the help of his friends. While he still occasionally blamed himself, he now realized that it was not his fault.

Voldemort was the one that had caused Sirius' death, not him. Well technically Bellatrix Lestrange had, but Voldemort was the ultimate cause of it. Had Voldemort not sent Harry those false images, he never would have felt the need to go into the Department of Mysteries, nor would Sirius have felt the need to come after him.

Remus Lupin was really the only father figure he had left. Granted, he had Dumbledore, but he still couldn't shake the fact that the man was his Headmaster. Remus had been his professor too, but that had been quite briefly. But Harry hadn't heard from him in a few weeks. The aging man had sent Harry a few brief letters over the months, but nothing longer than a paragraph.

Sirius' death had been equally hard on the werewolf. Harry had an inkling that the two had been romantically involved. The Gryffindor had done enough research on the species to know that werewolves mated for life. And if Sirius had been Remus' mate (like Harry suspected), it could take years for Remus to come out of his depression. He might not even come out of it at all.

And because of that, Harry feared for Remus. He loved the man as a father, and only wanted him to be happy. But Harry feared he would only be happy once he was reunited the Sirius. But in order for that to happen Remus would have to die, or a miracle would have to happen. The first was much more likely to happen, although Harry didn't want it to.

Harry was pulled from his thoughts as he reached the doors leading to the Great Hall. Lunch had started a few minutes ago. As Harry reached out, he was vaguely aware that his friends would ask what had happened, where he was. Hermione knew, but she would surely be curious.

As he pushed the door open with his left hand, he fidgeted with his right, stroking his index finger over his pinkie. The door swung open with a creak, and he stepped in warily. All eyes turned to him briefly before everyone turned back to what they were doing. The only pair of eyes he truly noticed were a bluish grey, and belonged to a certain blonde haired boy. There eyes connected, and the world faded away.

Harry began walking towards his mate, but was brought out of his trance by his friends yelling his name. He stopped and looked towards his friends before glancing back at Draco. Harry turned on his heel and headed off to the Gryffindor table.

The Atrerres worked his way over to his friends that were waving frantically to him. Seating himself across from them and in between to Ginny and Neville, who nodded to him before resuming their conversations with the people on either side of them.

Ron looked at Harry expectantly. "Well?" he asked, sounding a bit annoyed. Harry looked up at the red head through the black mop he called his hair.

"I was with Malfoy," Harry said dully, as if that explained everything. Ron nodded in understanding, and glanced at the Slytherin table, spotting the blonde in question.

"Yeah, 'Mione told me you two were talking in the Room of Requirement," Ron said. "Did everything go alright? He didn't try anything did he?" Ron suddenly looked about to kill, as if he would kill Malfoy if Harry confirmed that the blonde had attacked him.

Harry realized Hermione hadn't told Ron of his breakdown. For that he was eternally grateful. As much as he loved Ron, the boy did not need to know about his little episode.

Harry suddenly felt a huge rush of gratitude towards the smaller girl. She had kept his breakdown to herself, which he greatly appreciated. Hermione was looking at him with an expression that seemed to ask for acceptance. Harry flashed her a slight smile, which she returned with a much brighter one.

"No Ron, he didn't try anything. We just talked, that's it," Harry lied easily. He was certainly not going to tell Ron what had really happened.

Ron eyed him suspiciously. "Alright mate, if you say so. But if he tries anything, just tell me," Ron told him. Harry nodded, though he wasn't going to be saying anything to Ron involving Draco.

Harry began to fill his plate with the contents of the table, grabbing a chicken leg to add to the dish. He started to dig into his lunch when an owl screech was heard. The Gryffindor looked up and saw an average barn owl heading in his direction. Once again all eyes were on him, but Harry took no notice.

"Strange, post usually only comes at breakfast. Are you expecting anything?" Hermione asked, obviously curious.

Harry shook his head. "No I don't think so," he told her. He was also wondering why the owl was there.

The barn owl landed in front of him gracefully. It stuck out its thin leg, a slip of parchment tied around it. Harry untied the thread holding the letter to the bird. Once the note had slipped off of the owl's leg, it flew off, not waiting to be fed.

Harry snatched up the letter off of the table. It was not addressed to anyone, so he assumed the sender had told the owl who to give it to.

Harry fumbled to unfold the letter when Hermione spoke up.

"Be careful Harry, you never know who could have sent it," she warned. Harry nodded, and continued to open the note, albeit a bit more carefully.

Once the letter had been completely unfolded, Harry stared down at its contents for a few moments before dropping it back onto the table. He stared straight ahead, not acknowledging his friends, who were sending him concerned looks.

"Harry? Harry? What is it, mate?" Ron asked, quite worried. His friend was not reacting at all. He continued to stare off, as if in a trance.

Not worried at all about what people would think, Hermione stood up and stepped up on top of the Gryffindor table. She walked across it before jumping down and sitting next to her friend. She was not going to take the time to walk all the way around the table when something was clearly wrong with her friend.

All eyes turned from Harry to her, and looked at her like she was crazy. Hermione ignored the looks and put an arm on Harry's back.

"Harry?" she spoke quietly, as if anything louder might hurt him. As she gazed up at Harry she noticed tears rolling silently down his cheeks. He still refused to come out of his trance.

Hermione snatched up the letter to scan the contents herself. What she read made her gasp, but not drop the letter as Harry had.

It had two short sentences on it.

_We have the wolf. He will be with the mutt soon_.

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OKAY! I AM SO SO SO SORRY! I know it took me forever to update. I don't really have an excuse.

But now school has started, so it might take me awhile to update.

Did you like the chapter? Please let me know by pressing that nifty little 'Go' button at the bottom of the page!


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